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With so many people suffering from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), we asked certified nutritionist and naturopathic doctor John Adams what should people know about IBS and how can they cure or treat it. The most important thing he said is that IBS can be healed and that sufferers do not have to rely on drugs or surgery.

What is IBS?

It is when your digestion system is not functioning properly and can no longer process and digest foods in a healthy way.

Why are so many people suffering from IBS?

There are five main reasons why people are suffering from IBS:

Poor diets – Because many people are eating foods that are hard to digest so over time, their digestive system breaks down and starts to experience what has been termed IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Simply put, those suffering from IBS have a digestion system that is “broken” and no longer works.

Unhealthy Bowel Movements – If you have been watching Dr Oz, he confirms that we need to have healthy bowel movements every day (ideally 2 or 3). Most people barely have 1 a day. When food sits in your stomach too long and you become constipated, it rots and ferments causing you to become sick.

Lack Of Good Bacteria – By now most people have heard of “probiotics”. We need good bacteria to help fight off bad bacteria. People who are suffering from IBS have an imbalance of good and bad bacteria.

Intestines Are Clogged – Because so many people are eating poor diets, their intestinal tract is clogged with “stuff” (poop, mucous, and yeast) and this starts to eat away at the lining of the stomach and intestines. This is why people experience spasms, cramps, and other pain.

Stress – Stress is the number one reason why so many people’s health are suffering. When we “stress”, our body tightens up and this makes it hard for our digestive system to function properly. It is important that people learn to relax so that they can have healthy bowel movements.

What are symptoms of IBS?

Symptoms include spasms, flatulence (gas), bloating, cramps, diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation and any other abdominal related issue where they can no longer digest foods properly or have a healthy bowel movement.

What foods trigger IBS? [green_plus_list]

Fat

Oil

Dairy

Gluten (wheat)

Vinegar

Refined sugar

Artificial sweeteners

Alcohol [/green_plus_list]

Is there a way to cure IBS?

Yes there is!

Do not let the medical community fool you into thinking that you have to take drugs or have some form of surgery where they remove parts of your stomach or intestines. What people need to understand is that our body can heal itself if you just leave it alone!

Just like our skin and bones regenerate themselves, so can our intestines and organs. Think about it for a moment: does the medical community heal your skin if you scrape your knee? Does the medical community heal your bone if you break your arm? Of course not!

Our bodies are amazing machines that can fix themselves. What people must do are two things:

1. Eat the proper foods for about six to nine months that allows their stomach to heal

2. Take the appropriate natural supplements that help remove the “junk” from their stomach and intestines.

Once they cleanse themselves thoroughly, they will cure their IBS.

Is their a specific program people must follow?

Yes. For those on a budget and feel they do not need any help or support I recommend a system called “The Natural Stomach Solution” which you can find here. I think she only charges $37 and it is a complete system from start to finish that will heal your IBS. I believe she even offers a 60-Day money back guarantee.

I also offer custom programs for clients that start at $175 per session

For those who can afford my fees of $175 per session, I work with many patients and help them cure their IBS and can put them on a custom program. For more information I can be reached at drjohnadams135@gmail.com

Our digestion system comprises of 70% of our health. If we lack proper digestion then we get sick. In fact, if you combine digestion, stress, and lack of water intake, you could sum up most of the reasons why people get sick.

Once food is cooked at a high heat, the food loses its enzymes making it hard to breakdown (this is why it is very important you chew your food thoroughly). All raw fruits and vegetables are loaded with enzymes which is why so many people are switching to a raw food diet.

However, since most of us are not ready to dive into this lifestyle quite yet, then it is important you get good enzymes into your diet. It is suggested you take a good digestive enzyme supplement with your meals.

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Here we breakdown exactly how each enzyme (supplement) works:

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Bromelain breaks down protein and can be used for pain and swelling, sinus infections, and colitis.

Cellulase breaks down fiber and can be used for lowering your blood sugar and cholesterol as well as intestinal tract detoxification.

Invertase breaks down carbs and can be used for sugar digestion and bacterial infections.

Lactase breaks down lactose (milk sugar) and is good for people who are lactose intolerant.

Lipase breaks down fat and can benefit celiac and Crohn’s disease, indigestion and IBS.

Pancreatin breaks down proteins, fats, and carbs and can benefit people with digestive problems, viral infections, food allergies, and autoimmune disorders. [/green_plus_list]

A raw food diet is truly one of the best ways to stay healthy and take care of your tummy. In the book: The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Eating Raw it teaches newbies some simple ways they can start to transition to a more raw lifestyle. In this guide, readers will find the secrets to raw food weight loss; how raw foods can heal the body and boost energy and enthusiasm; information on the anti-aging properties of raw food; and 100+ recipes that show how raw foods can be combined into delectable meals. Even if you are not ready to go 100% raw its good to mix up your diet with some of these foods as it can help ease your digestion.

3. It improves blood sugar control (this is important for those with or at-risk of diabetes)

4. Adds bulk to your diet without adding calories making you feel full (great for weight loss)

However, it is also important to know the differences between good fiber (soluble) and not so good (insoluble). If you are the type of person who reads labels, then you always want to check to see if it has soluble or insoluble fiber:

Soluble means the body can easily break it down. A good analogy would be that if you add water to it, it will dissolve (soluble).

Insoluble means it is hard to breakdown and wont dissolve as easily. This type of fiber can get stuck to your intestines.

Recent Study

Studies show that those with the highest intake of fiber have a significantly lower risk of dying of any cause. A recently published study by the National Cancer Institute that included almost 400,000 participants found that for every 10-gram increase in fiber intake, risk of death dropped 12% in men and 15% in women.

So why the sudden decrease? Because our digestion make sup 70% of our health. When our digestion system is so focused on the food it is breaking down, it can’t do other things allowing illness and disease to set it.

So make sure you get good “soluble” fiber in your system to keep things moving!

We spend more time and hard earned money at the doctor’s office at the beginning of the year due to flu season or just not “feeling” well. The reason you ask? It’s simple! Our experts have told us already! It’s the change in weather!

Mmmm, maybe not. I say, you are on overload!

Think about it-We start celebrating towards the end of October. We have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Years. What are we doing except eating, eating more, eating more again, and then looking for some loose pants so you can finish your plate!

Do you look at What you are eating? We start with candy, move to chocolate, then cakes/pies, and then alcohol (to send off for our new years resolutions. **wink wink**) Now and again through the holidays we dabble in some protein.

So, what happens to your beautiful digestive system? You go on overload and your system says, “Enough is enough! Shut Down!” This way it can start letting go of the phlem, mucus, and drain the system . So for the next 2 to 3 months we will all be talking about how terrible the weather is and how it affects our health. (Those poor cavemen! How ever did they get through the night without their Nyquil every time the weather changed?!)

Does anyone really take the time to think about ‘HOW’ or ‘WHAT’ happens to the system with all of that sugar? (Or the substitute which is worse!) How to counter act that affect is the question.

Here are some of my tips to get you started:

1. Before breakfast, drink 1 cup 8 to 10 oz. of warm water with one tablespoon of Braggs apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of honey. (local or dark honey is better)

2. One cup of warm water with 1/2 fresh lemon , sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon and one tablespoon of honey.

3. Make a pitcher of water, with one grapefruit, one orange and one lemon, cut each fruit in half, squeeze fruit and insert in water with rind and let it soak. as you drink water, keep adding water and change fruits every two days.

Delicious!!! Drink all day and flush system. Enjoy!

Note: If on Medications, consult with your doctor, before drinking this water.

This tip is written by Emma Ware, a “weight loss specialist” and is a certified Zone Diet practitioner, certified nutritionist, and clinical homeopath. Emma has opened and consulted with many natural food stores, and has been a personal chef for various celebrities in the Los Angeles entertainment scene.

There is nothing worse then when your stomach starts to burn and churn with acid reflux. The truth is that if you were eating a pure diet of raw fruits and vegetables, this would not happen. But most people are not ready to make that leap yet. So what can you do?

The irony is that if you truly want to get rid of your acid reflux you will need to switch to eating mainly raw fruits and vegetables to help the issue subside. Fortunately you have many options in which you can ease your suffering and pain.

In a post from MyJuiceCleanse.com, the author points out Apple Cider Vinegar, Aloe Vera Juice, Licorice Root, and Raw Sauerkraut, as natural remedies you can take that will offer you quick pain relief.

She also offers two recipes for how to make your own sauerkraut and a green juice that will help you get back on track. You can read the full recipe here.

What many people are unaware of is the fact that most of our health issues stem from our stomach and digestion. When our stomach gets clogged and things are not “flowing” properly, our body starts to run sluggish and then sickness can set in.

Have you ever seen clogged pipes whether in your kitchen or your car? That is what’s happening inside you:

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Just think about if you have ever had gas or experienced bloating, this is because your system is backed up. Our intestinal tract is 30 feet long which means there is a lot of room in there for things to get murky and sticky. Right now you have hardened food stuck to your intestinal walls sitting there and making it hard for you to process new food.

When your intestines get clogged, food is not being digested properly which means you:

Start to exprience low energy

Become foggy and forgetful

Experience moodswings

Are not absorbing nutrients properly

Can start to have skin issues such as acne

Gain weight

And much more

Almost all of the health ailments people experience is because of this one issue!

So what’s the answer?

First and foremost you need to start incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your diet. However, whole vegetables can be hard on the digestion to break down which is why I highly recommend using a Vitamix. This is a powerful blender that can juice whole vegetables without extracting the pulp.

Most juicers extract the pulp which means you do not get the fiber and other important nutrients.

However, a fast way to help you clean out your pipes is a product called Super Colon Cleanse. It’s a natural and safe way to help get things moving. Here is what you can do:

Step 1 – Heat up 8 ounces of water.

Step 2 – Pour 2 ounces of apple juice (for taste) and the warm water in a blender

Make sure to get the powder version of the Super Colon Cleanse because they also come in capsules. Those are okay for travel or if you are on the go, but you want the powder version as this works faster.

Only add the olive oil 3x per week. This means every other day you will not add it and just do the colon cleanse alone.

Heating up the water is important because the food that is stuck to your intestines is hard which means the warm water and olive oil will help soften it and get it moving out.

After you finish the first bottle by taking it every day, after that you probably only need to do it a couple of times a week just to help keep things moving.

Final thoughts

Even though I mainly eat a raw fruit and vegetable diet, this product has helped me so much. I used to think I was fine and after taking this product I realized how much “stuff” is stuck in there and it needs to come out otherwise we get sick.

Most of us know to reach for the cranberry juice at the first sign of a urinary tract infection. However, it now appears that the tart fruit may shield our intestinal walls from viruses.

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In a recent laboratory study conducted by St. Francis College in New York, researchers found that adding cranberry juice to intestinal viruses blocked the invaders ability to infect intestinal cells.

The scientists theorized that cranberries’ naturally occurring flavonoids and tannins, both of which have been shown to have an anti-bacterial effect, may destroy or modify receptor sites on the host cells to which viruses usually bind.

Further research is needed to road test whether or not simply drinking cranberry juice would be enough to reduce the risk of intestinal infections—but in the meantime, indulge your cran-cravings to your heart’s (and your intestine’s) content.

Here’s a credibility test for your local health food/vitamin store: Ask which products might help you overcome a bit of heartburn or mild indigestion.

The answer should include an inexpensive bottle of papain, which is extracted from papaya. Chewing three or four tablets after a meal is likely to soothe more than a few touchy tummies. You might well kick an antacids habit—and avoid prescription drugs all-too-often dispensed for digestive upset, when just a minor change in diet might be a better route.

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Health practitioners have hotly debated digestive enzymes for years. Enzyme supplement skeptics contend our bodies produce mostly all of the enzymes necessary to digest and process our meals. They point out that enzymes are plentiful in all plant and animal foods. But raw foods proponents and other holistic practitioners counter that cooking food destroys the natural enzyme content. Heat your veggies over 118 degrees Fahrenheit, and the enzymes go poof. Pasteurization, microwaving and even the seemingly healthful canning all result in the same enzyme-obliterating end.

As a sports nutritionist, Julie Burns couldn’t have more mainstream clients than the Chicago White Sox, winners of last fall’s World Series. So when Burns speaks up on behalf of enzyme supplements, she’s hardly a voice from the alternative health fringes.

She regularly advises clients to use digestive enzyme products from brands such as Designs for Health, Tyler and Global Enzymes.

“This is an important area for optimal health,” says Burns, whose SportFuel consulting business is based in the Chicago suburb of Western Springs. “Many people take antacids and medications for reflux when they may have poor digestion due to low stomach acid and poor intestinal enzymes.”

Burns points to a simple approach that can help many of us with “minor problems.” “Sip on apple cider vinegar before and during meals,” she says. “Or you certainly can try papaya enzymes.”

Dr. Elson Haas, founder of Preventive Medical Centers in San Rafael and San Jose in northern California, says different enzymes assist in breaking down the macronutrients protein, fat and carbohydrates. For example, proteases work on processing protein, while amylases do the same for carbs. Lipases break down fats. But the problem, says Haas, is that stress can slow down or block the body’s capacity for enzyme secretion.

Bromelain, readily available in pineapple, is a key enzyme for healthy nutrition, says Haas. It can help reduce inflammation, tissue irritation and swelling after body trauma or surgery, boost the immune system and reduce the arterial plaque buildup responsible for heart disease. When you don’t have easy access to fresh sliced and diced pineapple, a bromelain product in your favorite natural grocery or health food store is a healthful alternative. A daily extract dose of 400 to 1,000 milligrams can bolster heart health and is a popular folk remedy for rheumatoid arthritis patients (who take it twice a day in a more hefty 500- to 1,000-milligram dose).

For her part, Burns recommends Q-Zyme including papain, to clients recovering from a serious sports injury. She has noted that it speeds the healing process. One theory of why this type of supplement works is that the enzymes increase the numbers and restorative actions of white blood cells.

If you are looking for digestive enzyme products in the store, best bets blend the three major categories of proteases, amylases and lipases. These supplements are usually taken after meals but some practitioners recommend consuming them during a meal heavy on the cooked or processed foods.

There are times when enzyme-speak can get murky, so don’t assume that all digestive enzymes products are alike and equally healthful. There are nearly 30 digestive enzyme products recommended in the venerable Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Dr. James F. Balch and Phyllis A. Balch, and there are just about that many different applications and combinations for enzyme supplementation. One product might contain ox bile, claimed to be a beneficial supplement for gallbladder disorders, while a handful of other products specifically target the heart.

The Balch book suggests a foolproof do-it-yourself method: dry papaya seeds, then put them in a pepper grinder to sprinkle over food.

Raw foods experts, such as Los Angeles author David Wolfe, say that “fermented raw foods” such as seed cheeses and raw sauerkraut (not pasteurized) offer “very high enzymatic activity.” He warns against freezing and refrigeration because it can “hinder” the enzymes. Wolfe says freezing can destroy somewhere between 30 to 66 percent of the natural enzyme content.

Some practitioners suggest that eating high-enzyme foods such as the seed cheeses and raw sauerkraut, along with such enzyme powerhouses as pineapple, papaya, avocados and bananas, can compensate for cooked foods in the diet. Wolfe is less convinced.

“Just because the dangerous effects of cooked and processed foods are not felt immediately does not mean they are not damaging,” he says. “Humans have not adapted to cooked food in the way that people assume. Just because you can chew up something, swallow it and live long enough to tell others about it, does not mean that person has adapted to it.”

White bread is an example of a common staple Wolfe particularly abhors. “White bread has only been around for the last 100 years,” he notes. “People eat white bread en masse and they are still alive. Does that mean humans have adapted to white bread?” The raw foodist doesn’t need to wait for an answer.

“Cooked and processed foods have a cumulative effect on the body,” he says. “The body’s enzyme potential will decrease over time. Once the enzyme potential is diminished beyond a certain threshold, the body wears out and internal organs feel the damage.”